Majoru Oakheart
Adventurer
Well, all the information I've seen just says that they are giving out a mini with the 4th edition stat block. I haven't heard which mini. Plus, keep in mind that I gather that the 4th Ed stat block will be different for monsters that it will for PCs. That a monster version of, say, a dwarf will be given (paraphrasing from memory here) "just enough abilities that it can still be identified as a dwarf without having all the same abilities as a player dwarf".Glyfair said:
I have a feeling that whatever mini we get, we'll be getting its monster stat block rather than its PC stat block. I believe you'll still need a full character sheet to properly describe a PC.
Also, all the stat blocks I've seen other people post here ARE possible, however, they still don't seem to fulfil the designer's promise that the statblocks will be "dramaticall reduced from previous editions due to an ingenious method that you'll need to see". Keep in mind it needs to be reduced enough to allow "over 300 monsters" in a book 288 pages long that also needs to have a table of contents, a couple of pages on "how to read monsters" as well as an index, and probably some information on how to make new monsters.
My guess is that with that information, the stat block has to be reduced to small enough that you could fit at least 2 a page. Also, from everything I've read that each monster will have "a small amount of powers to give them flavour and make you know you are fighting, say, a dwarf". I pretty much got that all monsters will be almost exactly the same except for those "powers". And given that we've heard blogs refer to "cleric powers" and that there is a "powers" chapter, I think that Powers is the confirmed term for ALL abilities (spells, power words, arcane strikes, holy words, holy symbol attacks, maneuvers, etc).
So, we need a stat block that is fairly generic (say, gives you the stats you need to figure out how to make an attack and take damage with the creature plus two or three special things to keep the list short and easy to run. I also get the impressions that the days of feats giving combat options is gone. Powers will be combat options...feats will give you...something else.
Say:
Orc with club
Level 1 Medium Brute
Init +0; Senses Perception +0, darkvision
Communication Goblin, Orc
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AC 16 Fort 13 Ref 11 Will 8
hp 15
Move 6 squares
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Attacks
Melee club +5 (1d8)
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Str 15, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 8 Wis 6, Cha 6
Skills: Athletics +8
Feats: Skill Focus (Athletics)
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Powers
Cleave (Ex): When the monster drops an enemy with an attack he gets a free attack against an adjacent enemy
Orc Toughness (Ex): As an immediate action as the orc is about to go below 0 hit points he may gain 10 hit points.
